Professional sports

After hearing development coach Tim Taylor sing the praises of a late-blooming defenseman playing college hockey in Alaska, Doug Armstrong went to see for himself. The St. Louis Blues' general manager and Taylor watched as Colton Parayko dominated a game at Bowling Green, and even then Armstrong didn't get his hopes too high...

NEW YORK -- Jose Reyes once was one of the fastest players in baseball. Now in his 15th season, he may have lost a step or two. He was still speedy enough Thursday. Cardinals pitcher Trevor Rosenthal was late covering first base on a grounder by Reyes that turned into a game-winning single with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the New York Mets over St. Louis 3-2...

NEW YORK -- With the non-waiver trade deadline approaching, Jacob deGrom's name has been tied to playoff contenders in both leagues. For now, the hard-throwing right-hander is doing his best to help the scuffling Mets get back into the playoff race...

NEW YORK -- Michael Wacha busted it out of the batter's box on a hot night and was thinking about an RBI as he raced down toward first base trying to beat out a double play during a big second inning. Not only did he do that, he also threw a three-hitter for his first career shutout, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 5-0 on Tuesday night...

At the expense of a practical joke, Joey Lucchesi has vivid memories of an all-important meeting he had earlier this summer. He had just thrown a bullpen session and completed his daily workout with the Lake Elsinore Storm when suddenly he was called into the coaching staff's office to sit down with manager Edwin Rodriguez and pitching coach Glendon Rusch...

NEW YORK -- Paul DeJong homered against the New York Mets for the fourth straight game and Adam Wainwright hit an RBI double while winning his fourth consecutive start, sending the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-3 victory Monday night. With runners at the corners in the bottom of the ninth inning, slugger Yoenis Cespedes grounded into a game-ending double play on a 3-0 pitch from Brett Cecil...

Kyle Kuzma had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 110-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in the Las Vegas league championship game on Monday night. Kuzma hit 6 of 10 3-pointers, and Matt Thomas scored 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting and 5 for 5 on 3s to help the Lakers overcome the loss of Lonzo Ball, who sat out with a calf injury...

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates closed their series against the St. Louis Cardinals the same way they began it: with a walkoff win. Adam Frazier's game-ending single capped a two-run rally in the ninth inning that lifted Pittsburgh to a 4-3 victory Sunday...

PITTSBURGH -- Lance Lynn grew up hitting from both sides of the plate, a notion the St. Louis Cardinals pitcher abandoned when he reached college at Ole Miss. Better to just hit right-handed and protect his right (throwing) elbow than expose it by trying to step in as a lefty...

PITTSBURGH -- With the winning run on second base as he stepped into the batter's box in the bottom of the ninth, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell could feel his heart racing. The rookie tried to get his breathing under control but couldn't. Adrenaline won out. The Pirates, too...

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards matched the Brooklyn Nets' $106 million, four-year offer sheet to keep forward Otto Porter, making him the team's highest paid player. Team president Ernie Grunfeld announced the move Thursday. Under NBA rules, the Wizards had two days to match Brooklyn's offer sheet for the 24-year-old restricted free agent...

Former Southeast Missouri State women's soccer standout Natasha Minor signed a professional contract with Skövde KIK in Skövde, Sweden, a deal that was announced Tuesday. Minor will travel to Sweden on July 18 to officially begin her pro career. Skövde is in the Västergötland, which is the Western Gothland region in central-Southern Sweden...

MIAMI -- A new-look All-Star Game ended with an old-time score. Robinson Cano homered off Cubs closer Wade Davis leading off the 10th inning and the American League beat the National League 2-1 Tuesday night in an All-Star Game dominated by this era's flame-throwers, rather than its standout sluggers...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It only took Brett Veach a decade to go from working as an assistant to Andy Reid in Philadelphia to standing alongside the Kansas City Chiefs' coach as their general manager. The Chiefs announced Monday they had promoted their co-director of player personnel to the top job in the front office. Veach takes over for John Dorsey, who was let go after four years despite taking the once-downtrodden franchise from two wins prior to his arrival to an AFC West title last season...

ST. LOUIS -- Lance Lynn said he felt terrible before his start on Sunday. He made the New York Mets feel even worse. Lynn pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, and Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong and Luke Voit homered as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Mets 6-0...

ST. LOUIS -- Paul DeJong had no guaranties when he was recalled by the St. Louis Cardinals on June 15. He's certainly making a strong case for an extended stay in the big leagues. DeJong homered as part of a four-hit game and Adam Wainwright won his third consecutive start as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 4-1 on Saturday...

ST. LOUIS -- Even when he couldn't keep the ball in the park, Jacob deGrom kept the Mets in the game. And they hit enough homers of their own to win it. Jose Reyes and Jay Bruce hit solo home runs to help deGrom win his fifth straight decision, and New York beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Friday night...

As he nears the precipice of a dream he's long pursued, Antonius Cleveland remains baffled by the years of sacrifice that have come from his mother, Shonda Bowie. A 23-year-old native of Memphis, Tennessee, Cleveland looks back on the countless hours his mother put in at her two jobs over the years, working early in the morning through the afternoon as a nutrition supervisor for Memphis City Schools before heading over to FedEx and working into the night...

ST. LOUIS -- Luke Voit is living his childhood dream with his hometown St. Louis Cardinals. And the Cardinals are reaping the benefits. The rookie first baseman hit his second home run and drove in three runs to help the Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Thursday...

NEW YORK -- Following his best NBA season, Otto Porter Jr. has a big offer to join the Brooklyn Nets. It appears he'll be staying right where he is in Washington. The former Scott County Central star has agreed to sign an offer sheet with the Nets, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The Wizards plan to match the offer and keep Porter, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because contracts can't be signed until today...

ST. LOUIS -- Giancarlo Stanton homered twice, recording his 22nd career multihomer game, and Marcell Ozuna and Justin Bour also hit home runs as the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 on Wednesday night. Stanton went 3 for 4 and also walked while driving in four runs. He has five hits in his last two games after starting the Marlins' road trip in a 1-for-17 funk...

ST. LOUIS -- Christian Yelich's long drought is over. Yelich hit a three-run drive for his first homer in 32 days, helping Jose Urena and the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Tuesday. "It's been a long time," Yelich said. "I've kind of been grinding through some stuff."...

ST. LOUIS -- Rookie Luke Voit's first career homer brought back good memories in St. Louis. Voit ripped a two-run shot into the batter's eye in center field on Monday to help the Cardinals to a 14-6 victory over Miami. The 429-foot blast landed in almost the same spot as the home run hit by Cardinals infielder David Freese in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series...

ST. LOUIS -- Bryce Harper homered twice against Carlos Martinez, Max Scherzer struck out 12 over seven scoreless innings and the Washington Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday night. Harper also doubled and had four RBIs to pace Washington, which snapped a three-game skid and had lost five of seven...

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals promoted general manager John Mozeliak to president of baseball operations and Michael Girsch to GM on Friday. Both received contracts through 2020. Mozeliak has served as the team's general manager since October 2007. "Over the past 10 years, baseball operations have become more complex and demanding," Cardinals CEO Bill DeWitt, Jr. said. "Giving Girsch more day-to-day responsibility will enable Mo (Mozeliak) to focus on strategic initiatives and long-range planning."...